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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28370844">Vacationing with the Hermits</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fintastica/pseuds/Fintastica'>Fintastica</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hermitcraft RPF, Minecraft (Video Game), Minecraft: Story Mode - Fandom, Yandere high school</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Assassins &amp; Hitmen, Chaos, Gen, Grian is a magnet and his friends are paperclips, Inspired by The Night Before Christmas, Minecraft: Story Mode, Minor Violence, Poems, Shooting, Stabbing, The Master Has Issues, Vacation, but what else do you expect when Yandere shoved itself into the fic, don't worry about the tags :), just the Hermits being Hermits, this story has a mind of its own now...</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 23:33:22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>15,961</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28370844</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fintastica/pseuds/Fintastica</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Hermits + vacation in a more modern server = uh oh</p><p>also warning: read the tags because I'm not sure what I did is graphic enough but it's....certainly something....Heart-wrenching?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>None, just one big family - Relationship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>140</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>254</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Basic info about stuff</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Background information you should probably know before we begin the chaos....</p><p>~All servers and singleplayer worlds are connected to a main "world hub". From here, you can access any server you desire. The most frequented servers are found near the center of the hub, and the smaller servers just...branch out from there. A good number of the smaller worlds of course have password protections and usually a player going to a world such as Hermitcraft will need to know the IP address and be whitelisted to join. IP addresses function as both password protection and the way to get to servers not in the main area of the Hub quickly. There's also a wing with a portal  that lets players go directly to their singleplayer world(s).<br/>
~This fic includes the headcanons of:  Grian the former Watcher who lost most of his magic but kept the wings, Scar the cool cowboy with the wheelchair (how does he get around? Chorus fruit and/or  a jet-propelled wheelchair), X the Voidwalker, Doc the cyborg creeper, Jevin the slime (With all color-changing abilities  in tow), Tango the nether spirit, Joe the part-ghost, Iskall the former hitman, Jess the assasin, Etho the ninja dude, Wels the knight, Stress the druid, Ren the half-dog, and probably more I forgot about but honostly most of these seem pretty obvious anyways.<br/>
~NPC Grian and Robo G exist....Grian just keeps them in a special shulker hidden inside his chest monsters. Hence the chest monsters. They're a bit...buggy, shall we say :)<br/>
~Evil X is still nice-ish. Hels, on the other hand, is not.<br/>
~The cam accounts are basically invisible little beings that zip around and help out their players.</p><p>~Communicators are essentially phones smashed with smart watches and attach to your wrist by default, though you can change where it is (e.g. Stress has hers on a necklace and Xisuma just stuck his in his helmet). It automatically connects to whatever server you're in at the time but you can add the contacts and chat with others in different servers-basically, Discord.</p><p>~WorldCraft is basically like one of those  Earth servers but way larger. Basically, the real-life world in Minecraft, complete with cars and tech and countries and things. In this universe, it's like a center for people to visit or create their own town. And in this AU, the Hermits are using this as a vacation because....well, why not?  (If you're still confused, basicaly it's a server that functions as an extension of the World Hub and acts like the real world in Minecraft)</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. 10 Rooms Might Not Be Enough</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Villas are apparantly on the World Hub's equivalant of Airhub, apparantly.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Everyone here? Got your recording equiptment? Once I lock the server no one can go back for their forgotten cameras or extra clothes." Xisuma called out to the large group of hermits all piled onto the spawn island. 24 Hermits was a very tight squeze, that was for sure. In fact, Xb and Impulse had planted down some random blocks just so there was enough room for everyone not to fall into the water.</p><p>"I got all my stuff-oh wait, no I don't- Oh nevermind, I found it!" Zedaph fished out his camera from his pack and simultaneously managed to elbow Python in the gut.</p><p>"Hey!"</p><p>"Sorry!"</p><p>"Grian, what in the Overworld are you carrying in that thing, it better not be more chickens!" Mumbo yelped as Grian landed next to him while carrying a rather large crate-like object.</p><p>Grian shrugged. "I can't leave this old project of mine unattended. Don't worry they won't go haywire...probably."</p><p>"<i>They?! Probably?! </i>Grian- hey, wait, get back here, you have explaining to do!" Mumbo sputtered out  as Grian skipped off to definitely not use talking to Ren as a cover from having to talk about his extra baggage.</p><p>Xisuma just shook his head at them, before turning to the others. "Right, if we're all ready let's go. Remember, we're heading for the WorldCraft server, if you get lost go there and wait at the spawn. Once we're in the world hub remember to use the Hermitcraft group chat, not the server chat, unless you want everyone to see your messages." Xisuma adjusted his helmet and double-checked his communicator before opening up his communicator. "See you guys on the other side!"</p><p>A few taps later and he was in the World Hub, outside the Hermitcraft portal. A few <i> pops </i>later and the other Hermits started appearing. Xisuma waited until everyone had left the server before closing it temporarily. It'd still be there when they returned, it was just that no one could enter or leave until Xisuma or one of the others who were OPd in the world reopened it. Once he did that, he started walking towards WorldCraft, Scar rolling up beside him (to avoid rolling onto someone's foot by accident, which wouldn't have been fun to deal with).</p><p>"You know, the way you left the server earlier was a little morbid." Scar commented.</p><p>"What do you mean?"</p><p>"'See you on the other side'. We're not going to die, X." Cleo sighed.</p><p>Jellie, from Scar's lap, meowed as if protesting that statement.</p><p>"Don't mind Jellie, she's just a little grumpy that I woke her up early for this trip." Scar joked. Xisuma and Cleo laughed and the trio fell to talking about other things, with Joe soon joining them.<br/>
</p>
<p>It didn't take long to reach the WorldCraft server entrance and luckily, everyone spawned in at the main spawn area.</p><p>It also didn't take long to find a bus to take the Hermits to the seaside town they would be staying at, or to find the large villa that they'd decided was big enough for everyone.<br/>
</p>
<p>What did take an astonishing amount of time was how long it took for the Hermits to situate themselves in a 10-room villa.</p><p>The couple who were letting the Hermits rent their vacation home for a week watched in amusement from the side as 20-some Hermits went running into the spacious building like the kids in that scene from<i> Cheaper by the Dozen </i>where all the kids go running into their new home, leaving Xisuma coughing in the sand that got kicked up.</p><p>"Um, sorry about them. " Xisuma started apologizing to their hosts while trying to wipe sand from his visor. "I promise this is not what they're usually like. Well, I mean, they are they're just a bit...exciteable-"</p><p>"Oh don't worry about it, you Hermits have a good time and as long as the place is standing when we come back it's all good." The couple waved before heading off.</p><p>Xisuma watched as they left, at least until he heard Keralis yelling at him from the doorway to hurry up and help him claim a room before the Vex duo claimed them all and start selling them off for quick pocket money.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Yes I made a reference to a 2003 movie, don't @ me that's what it looked like in my head</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Vexed</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Papa Pete's Pizza can't decide if the Hermits are good business or just weird.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was nearly dinnertime by the time everyone had settled in.</p><p>Especially since Xisuma hadn't quite expected every single person on the whitelist to show up. In fact he'd gotten a bit of a shock when Python and Jessassin had turned up with their inventories packed and huge grins on their faces.</p><p>Luckily the villa had more then enough room for everyone.</p><p>Unsurprisingly, Grian was one of the first to claim a room (simply flying over everyone's heads to do so) and all but dragged Mumbo and Iskall with him. False wasn't far behind though, and it wasn't long before Ren joined her after getting turned down by Doc, who was going to join the other members of the NHO. The NHO, meanwhile, immediately claimed a large room with windows all over the place, just getting there before the Vex managed to get to it.  And then they kicked out Beef when he started playing some undesirable tunes.</p><p>Team ZIT went for the room furthest away from everyone, at least until they discovered Xb had claimed it for himslf. They retreated to the room just down the hall and thus got the entertainment of seeing TFC march in laterand make himself comfortable, despite Xb's protests.</p><p>Scar and Cub somehow got control of 3  rooms in the center of the villa and soon disappeared into their room with money jingling in their pockets- the money of their fellow Hermits. Xisuma, Python,  and Keralis, despite their attempts, still ended up paying (though Keralis was more then rich enough to afford the cost), as did the pairings of Beef-Hypno and Joe-Cleo. Stress, Biffa, and Wels somehow ended up in a room together, leaving Jevin and Jess to have the last room. </p><p>Of course when that was over there was the question of "What do we eat for dinner?"</p><p>Etho volunteered to cook, an idea which got shot down pretty quickly. TFC then pointed out they didn't really have much in terms of food besides the small snacks and the shulker of golden carrots Grian had brought along "just in case" so they couldn't cook anything anyways unless someone wanted to go shopping and no one minded eating later in the evening. Ren tried to say that it would be fine to eat later but his stomach said otherwise and that set off a chain reaction of growling stomachs somehow.</p><p>Finally, Jess picked up the phone and ordered 10 pizzas from the nearest pizza parlour, with Beef assisting in confirming they were actually ordering the right things.</p><p>And then it was the waiting game.</p><p>Or rather, for certain people, the "who-can-guess-what-the-delivery-guy-looks-like" betting game. That ended in Cub and Scar using Wels' backup helmet (who knew he had more then one set of armor?) as a prize pool and Grian, Keralis, Ren, Bdubs, Doc, Etho, and Jevin hanging off the wall surrounding the property staring at the road and inevitably giving the poor delivery driver a good shock.</p><p>After all, it isn't everyday that you see a gremlin with giant wings, a wide-eyed bee enthusiast, a dggity dog with a love of sunglasses, a sleep king, a cyborg creeper mad scientist, a ninja, and a literal slime watching you carrying 10 box of extra-large pizzas up to a villa where an assassin and an bloody-aproned man were waiting to pick up the delivery.</p><p>The poor delivery driver made a very hasty exit as Etho claimed the small pile of cash and the other helped carry all that pizza inside.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I got messed up while writing and here's what the rooming situation looked like in my notes because i couldn't bother writing out names:</p><p>grumbskall<br/>zit<br/>vex<br/>nho<br/>pog supremecy<br/>hermitduo<br/>creeperbee<br/>pokemon<br/>royalrevolt<br/>Jolly Jams</p><p>...yeah, the names just kept getting weirder. And no i most certainly did not doubleroom Beef by accident.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Don't Wake Your Neighbors at 7:45 in the Morning</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>definitely not a lot of chitchat</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A majority of the Hermits, in various states of awakeness, were eating breakfast when they heard the doorbell chime.</p><p>
  <i>Ding-dong!</i>
</p><p>"Who in their right mind is here at 7:45a.m. on a Tuesday morning?" Wels muttered from behind his ultra-large mug of coffee.</p><p>"Morning people." Tango yawned.</p><p>"Does anyone want to get the door? I don't want to get up just yet." False asked groggily from where she was attempting to eat a golden carrot, eyes half closed.</p><p>Impulse stood up. "I'll get it, I already had my round of coffee."</p><p>
  <i>Ding-dong!</i>
</p><p>"Coming!" Impulse called. He was glad this place had the kitchen close to the entrance. Stumbling to the door, he opened it to see a trio of players.</p><p>"Uh, can I help you?" he asked, a bit confused.</p><p>"Oh hi, sorry if we woke you up! I'm Jesse and these are my friends Axel and Olivia." The black-haired girl said cheerfully. "We're staying in the beachhouse next door for a few weeks. The Maxwells mentioned they were renting out their villa and we thought we'd stop by and bring breakfast."</p><p>"Did someone say breakfast? Also who are the Maxwells? Ooh, hi people I don't know yet, I'm Zedaph!" Impulse yelped and stumbled back as one Zedaph Plays crashed down the stairs and into the foyer.</p><p>Jesse and her friends also jumped back a few feet. "Oh, um, hi?" Olivia asked, very confused by the slightly-wild player.</p><p>Impulse groaned and rubbed his forehead. "It's too early for this...Who let you have sugar Zed?"</p><p>"Xisuma said yes."</p><p>"Xisuma is this close to passing out from lack of sleep and therefore isn't qualified to approve stuff like how much sugar people like you are allowed." Impulse countered, before turning back to the trio at the door. "Sorry about that. Would you like to come in and meet the others? I'm sure the rest of the Hermits would appreciate eating something besides golden carrots and obscure amounts of coffee."</p><p>"Why not? If you don't mind us joining you that is." Jesse smiled.</p><p>"Eh, it's probably fine- Actually, wait. Hey X, you alright if the neighbors come join us for breakfast?" Impulse called to the half-awake admin who was stumbling down the stairs.</p><p>"Huh? Sure. Where's the tea? I need a cup o' tea..." Xisuma staggered into the kitchen.</p><p>"Not many of us are morning people. X is a prime example of what we're like when our lack of sleep schedule gets thrown off." Impulse let Jese and her friends in before closing the door and heading for the kitchen, Zedaph being dragged along. "Come on, most of us are in here."</p><p>Jesse and her friends followed Impulse, who, as he entered the kitchen, whistled loudly before calling loudly, "Hey Hermits, we got visitors and some breakfast!"</p><p>"Tea?" Biffa asked.</p><p>"Um, no, sorry. We have baked potatoes." Olivia held up a large tray of food.</p><p>Etho (who for some reason was wide awake) grinned from behind his mask. "Ooh, sounds good! Hey, can I go wake the others-"</p><p>"No." Most of the hermits in the kitchen all said in unison.</p><p>"I wasn't even going to use anvils!"</p><p>"The only ones not up are Cleo, Grian, and TFC." Mumbo told him.</p><p>"Oh. Nevermind then." Etho took a bite of mashed potato. "Oh wow, this is good. Thanks- uh, what are you names?"</p><p>"Axel, Jesse, and Olivia." Axel grinned. "How about you?" He looked around. "There's a lot of you..."</p><p>"Name's Etho. There's only what, 27 of us?" Etho glanced at Xisuma, who looked a bit more awake now.</p><p>Xisuma nodded. "Yep. All 27 or so of us. I'm Xisuma, by the way. I'm the admin of this group." He glanced behind him, where the majority of the Hermits were. "Go ahead and introduce yourselves, everyone." he added.</p><p>Introductions took a fair amount of time and by the time they were done, Grian and Cleo had joined them and Wels and Xisuma were at normal functioning levels, a good thing because most of them had no idea what they should be doing.</p><p>"Well, we obviously need to send someone to go shopping for actual food. No use blowing all our combined wealth on takeout every night." Wels pointed out. "So, who's responsible enough to go to a store, buy food to last 2 dozen people give or take a few days, and come back without getting sidetracked?"</p><p>None of the Hermits said anything.</p><p>Jesse cleared her throat. "Um, I mean there's over 20 of you, surely one of you...?"</p><p>"Nope."</p><p>"Not possible."</p><p>"Never not happening."</p><p>"Ok then...uh, maybe just send a handful of the least likely people to get sidetracked?" Jesse tried again.</p><p>"I vote Joe- as long as we don't send Cleo we'll be fine." Beef said, over Cleo's noises of protest and threats of broken legs.</p><p>Scar nodded. "TFC should go too. He's the one in charge of ordering us around the kitchen."</p><p>"Cub and Impulse should also go. Cub knows buisness and Impulse is the least likely member of Team ZIT to buy every kind of junk food available but still know which flavors of chip everyone likes." Xisuma said over his shoulder as he went to start washing up some of the dishes.</p><p>"That was one time!" Tango protested, though he was grinning.</p><p>Cub snorted. "And one time was plenty. You came back with a shulker full of stuff and we didn't even finish it before the season ended."</p><p>"Where's the nearest market area anyways?" Grian piped up. Olivia jumped back a bit-Grian had unexpectedly appeared next to her and she hadn't even noticed. Grian just flashed her a grin, which she awkwardly returned.</p><p>"It's down the road, one of us can take you guys there." Jesse offered. "Axel ate all the apples anyways."</p><p>"They were good and I was hungry. Sorry." Axel shrugged.</p><p>"Well that settles it. Joe, TFC, Cub, and Impulse, plus whichever one of you three is going to be their guide. Sounds safe enough." Mumbo said.</p><p>Doc let his mug fall on the table as his chuckled darkly. "Don't speak so fast, Mumbo Jumbo. We are hermits, after all." He then proceeded to get up and dramatically leave the scene...before running back in to grab his crocs, which he'd left under the table and then leaving again.</p><p>The other Hermits didn't seem too worried about Doc's little prediction and instead went about cleaning up the place, Jesse and er friends deciding to join in after a few moments of wondering why their new neighbors didn't seem frazzled by the cyborg creeper. They'd just have to wonder about it all later.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Grian, That is Very Sus</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Olivia is herding 4 people who decided to share a braincell while Grian probably needs to get therapy or something.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>....the plot evaporated and replaced itself of its own accord.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Olivia was starting to regret offering to be the guide of TFC, Joe, Cub, and Impulse's trip to the local shopping area. </p><p>The trip had started out well. Cub was in charge of holding onto the money, while TFC  had put together a list of things they needed. It didn't take long for the five to reach the nearest bus stop either and they'd only had to wait a few minutes for a bus to show up. They'd gotten on, rode until their stop, gotten off, and made it to their destination without incident.</p><p>That was the end of Olivia's peace.</p><p>Joe, of all people, got distracted by a book signing happening on the street at the bookstore next to the grocery store. The other three Hermits  decided it wasn't worth the risk of getting a long lecture from the poet about the joys of literature and continued with the shopping trip.</p><p>TFC managed to get most of what he would need before Impulse, true to his name, impulsively grabbed way too much junk food the moment he saw the word "sale" and tasted one of the free samples they had of a certain flavor of chip. That sparked a small argument between Impulse and Cub over how much junk food was too much while TFC sneakily replaced some of Impulse's choices with his own personal favorites.</p><p>By the time Joe rejoined them, the cart was full and Olivia had gone and gotten her own cart just so she wouldn't lose her own items in the Snack War between Impulse, Cub, and TFC. At least by the time they checked out they managed to stay under budget.</p><p>~~~</p><p>While Olivia dealt with shopping with 3 warring hermits and a booklover, Grian decided to go visit some old friends, bringing along Mumbo and Ren for the trip. </p><p>"So exactly which of your old mates are we going to visit?" Mumbo asked once they'd left the villa.</p><p>Grian grinned. "Some people I used to hang around with. Don't know if they're still in town but they probably are. If they haven't left for other servers yet. Hopefuly I remember where they live, it's been a while since I've been back here in WorldCraft."</p><p>"Yeah I remember, that's when you joined that moviemaking group right?" Mumbo asked. Grian nodded.</p><p>"Yup and then Wynncraft happened." Grian laughed. "Oh wow, didn't realize we were so close to airport."he suddenly commented as the large building appeared in the distance. Unlike the spawn, the Airport was how WorldCraft players got around, though it had a direct link to the spawn. "We could've just taken a portal here or something instead of riding in a bus for so long." Grian lamented.</p><p>"We didn't know to be fair." Ren shrugged. "But now we do."</p><p>'Yeah..." Grian nodded, as he fumbled with his camera to turn it on. He finally managed it and pointed it at himself, positioning it so that Ren and Mumbo were in the frame.</p><p>"Hello, this is Grian and I'm with Mumbo and Ren right now! We're going to visit some old friends of mine, you might remember a few of them from my earlier videos on the channel. DomRoa's one of them, you'll probably remember him. There's a few others as well, and, uh, yeah, we'll see what happens." </p><p>He shut his camera off so Mumbo and Ren could record, doing a funny dance with Ren in the background of Mumbo's video.</p><p>By the time the trio were done, they'd gone quite a ways away. And then things got a little...funky.</p><p>Grian suddenly decided to turn down a side street. "Uh, let's go this way. I..don't really want to go the other way."</p><p>Mumbo and Ren exchanged looks. "Um, okay..." Mumbo said nervously, following Grian. Ren hesitated, then followed as welll.</p><p>Grian led them through several side streets before they reach another main road and found themselves in front of a hospital, which Grian seemed very keen to avoid. Especially when, as the trio turned the cornor, they saw a couple of police cars with officers nearby.</p><p>Unfortunately for Grian, luck did not seem to be on his side as one of the officers looked up as the trio went by and started walking towards them.</p><p>Grian started tensing up. "Oh for the love of Notch, not now..." He muttered.</p><p>Mumbo and Ren were....very confused now, Ren more so. Mumbo had an idea of what was happening....a very vague idea.</p><p>The officer finally reached them. "Hello there, the name's Officer_Drake, do the three of you mind answering a few questions?" He asked, flipping open a notebook.</p><p>"Uh, no, not at all..." Mumbo stammered out.</p><p>The officer smiled a bit. "Good. Now, first off, names?"</p><p>"Actual usernames or the names people know us by?" Grian asked.</p><p>"Both, preferably."</p><p>"Well I'm Renthedog, though most of the cyberspace knows me as Rendog." Ren somehow managed to grin.</p><p>"Mumbo but everyone knows  me by my UVideo name, Mumbo Jumbo." Mumbo voicecracked on his own name, cuasing Ren and Grian to snicker a bit while Mumbo slowly turned red.</p><p>The officer was trying hard not to laugh. "Right then, and you?" He turend to Grian expectantly.</p><p>Grian gulped a bit. "Uh, Grian." He didn't elaborate further.</p><p>The officer narrowed his eyes. "Just Grian?"</p><p>"...Yes."</p><p>"Interesting....Are the three of you native to this server?"</p><p>Mumbo and Ren glanced at each other a bi worridly as Grian answered, the gremlin's voice shaking a bit. "Well, I am, but I'm just here on- on vacation, with- with the rest of m-my currentserver right now..."</p><p>"All three of you from the same place then?" Three nods. "Which server, may I ask?"</p><p>"Hermitcraft." Ren answered. "You might've heard of it, big builds everywhere, lots of famous UVideologgers."</p><p>"I have." The officer acknowledged. "Fan of TangoTek myself."</p><p>"Tango's a great guy, bit obsessed with ravagers at the moment though." Mumbo agreed. </p><p>"Decked Out, that game is genius! Man, you guys are epic...." The officer glanced over his shoulder at his colleagues, who were all still busy talking. He turned back to the trio and lowered his voice. "So, you guys are really <i>the</i>Mumbo Jumbo, Grian, and Renpog right?"</p><p>"Heck yeah we are! Uh, is that a problem?" Ren asked.</p><p>The officer sighed. "I better not get a demotion for this...Look, just...just be aware: There's been some murders lately. Everything points to a guy with bunny ears." Grian's expression, even without a proper mouth, turned into one of horror. "We're currently tracking him down and...turns out there's a lot of crimes following this guy. Stabbings. Yakuza business. Lots of horror movie stuff. Just....I'd stay out of the way if I were you." Then, raising his voice, he said, "Right, then, thanks for you time, I'm quite sorry to bother the three of you in the middle of your vacation."</p><p>"It's- it's quite alright mate, uh, thanks-" Mumbo started to say, when Grian jumped in.</p><p>"Yeah it's fine, would you like an autograph? I have a pen." Grian put on what to Mumbo and Ren was a very false grin as he twirled a pen.</p><p>"Oh yes, that'd be amazing, thank you so much!"</p><p>Four autographs (Mumbo messaged Tango, who sent a photo of his autograph which Mumbo sent to the officer) and a selfie later, the officer went back to business and Grian had all but dragged Mumbo and Ren away from the hospital in the direction of the villa.</p><p>In fact, he practically ran back to their home-away-from home, barely pausing to let Mumbo and Ren catch up.</p><p>"What in the Nether mate?" Mumbo gasped. "When did you learn to run that fast?"</p><p>Ren leaned against the wall surrounding the property to catch his breath. "My dude, you got some kind of criminal record or something?" </p><p>He meant it as a joke but Grian nodded, surprising him. "Highschool. Sam- the guy with bunny ears -was my classmate and...friend." Grian mumbled. "I...may have committed a few crimes..."</p><p>"Oh. Well. That's...going to be a problem. And you haven't told anyone?" Mumbo asked. </p><p>Grian shrugged. "I mean, I thought were were going to like, the part of the server where people aren't out trying to kill me....But it probably means I should invest in one of my disguises or something, now that I know we're just a few miles away from where I spent my highschool years. And let X know. At least they've taken to speaking a lot more English here now....Sorry about that guys." Grian gave them a small smile and a very half-hearted wave as he went inside.</p><p>Ren and Mumbo looked at each other. "This is going to be one interesting week, man." Ren commented.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Fishy Buisness</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jesse would like to go back to the New Order of the Stone now please.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>filler chapter ig<br/>let me know whose POV you want to see next, any of the 24 whitelisted Hermits and the 3 MSM characters are open :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jesse and Xisuma  were chatting in the kitchen when Grian burst in ,and made a beeline for the Beesuma.</p><p>"X....i- it's him....They know..." Grian said shakily. </p><p>"Who's 'him'? And 'they'? G, what's going on?" Xisuma asked, cutting off what he was saying to Jesse to look at the disheveled codboy.</p><p>Grian gulped, his eye flicking at Jesse. "...b-before EVO ever happened....during highschool...It's them. He's still here."</p><p>Jesse was very confused but X seemed to know what the gremlin meant, because he immediately tensed.</p><p>"That's not good. How far...?" </p><p>"Too close. Walking distance. I-I thought we'd be further. D-Dom's apartment is." </p><p>"And <i>he's</i> still around you say."</p><p>"Police. They....they might know. Officer let us go but.."</p><p>Xisuma muttered something under his breath, pulling out his communicator. "Oh geez...."</p><p>"Um, what's going on?" Jesse interjected. "I'm a little confused."</p><p>X glanced at her. "Don't worry about it too much, just....Let's just say that some people here have interesting pasts that shouldn't be dug up, especially when we're all supposed to be taking it easy." He started typing into his device. </p><p>Grian sat at one of the barstools, looking drained. He started eating a golden carrot from his inventory.</p><p>Jesse just watched. "Do you guys seriously just carry around golden carrots?'</p><p>"It's how we roll on our server. We do a lot of trading." Xisuma answered. Grian just nodded in agreement.</p><p>It was silent (escept for the distant sounds of Zedaph, Tango, and Biffa playing Snap somewhere in the villa) until X finish typing and sent the message, prompting Grian's communicator to ding. Grian pulled it out to see what X wrote, before giving X a small smile, waving a little at Jesse, and leaving the kitchen.</p><p>Xisuma turned back to Jesse, still smiling but looking much more tense. "So....where were we? Oh right,, you were asking about what it's like running a server full of people who share a single brain cell...." </p><p>~~~</p><p>Speaking of people who shared one brain cell, Zedaph, Tango, and Biffa were having quite a fun time playing Snap. Or, at least Tango was. Biffa and Zedaph had very red hands because they kept accidently slapping each other.</p><p>They were starting a new round when their communicators went off. While Zedaph dealt the cards, Biffa opened up his communicator to see who sent something in the groupchat. In a matter of seconds, his mood suddenly changed. "Hey guys, check your communicators." </p><p>"What?" Tango opened his up. Quickly scanning over the message, his tail dropped. "Oh no."</p><p>Zedaph put down the cards in his hands to see what the matter was. Opening up the groupchat, he quickly read over the most recent messages.</p><p>~~~</p><p><b>JoeHillsSays:</b> Does anyone want fried  salmon chips?</p><p><b>JoeHillsSays:</b> Because we just bought some instead of actual salmon and Olivia doesn't want it.</p><p><b>GoodTimesWithScar:</b> you had one job</p><p><b>Iskall85:</b> lol no</p><p><b>Etho:</b> i'll take them I can use them for stuff</p><p><b>xBCrafted:</b> im scared now</p><p><b>Etho:</b> XD</p><p><b>Xisuma:</b> Hey @everyone, stay alert. There is a high chance of potentially encountering a dangerous  player known as "Sam" who has a pair of bunny ears and is known to have killed multiple people and committed several other crimes. Remember, guns are a thing here and this is a hardcore world- once you're dead, you will die. I'm pretty sure you'll be teleported back to the main hub and banned from the world but I'd still avoid dying just in case.</p><p><b>Xisuma:</b> On another note, keep an eye on Grian-we don't need a repeat of the Iskall incident.</p><p><b>Iskall85:</b> that is not good.</p><p><b>Zedaph:</b> So a killer bunny but sentimental?</p><p><b>Hypno</b> This has to do with Grian running into the kitchen earlier right?</p><p><b>Tango:</b> Zed,  no-</p><p><b>Welsknight:</b> Is Grian ok?</p><p><b>Mumbo:</b> I'm with him right now, we r in our room</p><p><b>Cubfan135</b> Everyone, use the buddy system from now on just in case and keep your communicators on.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Bunny ear, Bunny ear, around the alley.....</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Keralis is now addicted to a certain kind of apple.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This took way too long to upload for my patience...</p><p>Also who should go next? I know im missing hermits....</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Since Joe was off getting a book signed, Cleo had gone off to find someone else to have fun with.</p><p>That "someone" turned out to be Jevin. And that "fun" ended up being burying a sleeping Doc under a very large pile of sand, dousing that in water, and essentially trapping the cyborg under the sand and getting lots of blackmail pictures for later. </p><p>At one point,  Jessassin passed by and came back a few minutes later with many shells and flowers before continueing his walk along the beach.</p><p>That was what they were doing when their communicators went off. Unfortunately, before either of them could see why the devices were pinging off the hook, Doc woke up and started yelling at them to let him out.</p><p>By the time Doc had dug himself out of the sandpile and had a good laugh with Cleo and Jevin (with the promise of revenge, not excluding Jess), all three had completely forgotten about whatever had happened earlier in the groupchat and instead went off to go get lunch at the nearest fast food restaurant, Doc occassionally plucking sand out of one of his cyberparts as they went.</p><p>~~~</p><p>"Listen to my jabbering, about the  resource gathering. My never-ending stammering, as I'm resource gathering...."</p><p>"Etho, we're just picking apples." </p><p>Etho smirked at xB's slightly-annoyed face. "It's practically my trademark song from Hermitcraft at this point, can you blame me? Ely Beatmaker made it catchy!"</p><p>xB just shook his head and went back to picking apples. He, Etho, Beef, and Keralis had decided to go to an apple farm just outside the town for the day and none of them seemed to regret it.</p><p>Though xB was wishing he'd brought earplugs. Etho and music? Sure. Etho singing the same song more then three times in a row?</p><p>Yeah, no thanks. </p><p>"So, have we thought about how to bring everything we've bought or picked back with us?" Beef asked, carrying a full armful of apples around the cornor.</p><p>Keralis poked his head out from behind a tree, apple in mouth. "Mmhmm." He shook his head and went back to enjoying the sweet treat.</p><p>Etho smirked. "I mean...we could just eat what we can't carry?"</p><p>"Or donate them to the farm?" xB suggested.</p><p>"Well we'd better decide, because this is a lot of apples. Why'd we pick so many?" Beef gestured at the apple piles around them.</p><p>"More like how did we manage to pck so many- Oh hey, look, there's one of the farm workers, hey mister can we give you guys the apples we don't need?" xB called.</p><p>The farm worker took one look at all the apples. "What the Notch???? It's been barely half an hour- "</p><p>~~~</p><p> </p><p>
  <i>In the shadows of the alleys,</i>
</p><p>
  <i>For less then a second seen,</i>
</p><p>
  <i>A single glimpse of white,</i>
</p><p>
  <i>And a horribly blood-stained knife.</i>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>On the coms:</p><p><b>Docm77</b>: @ZombieCleo and @iJevin, you have choson death.<br/><b>Jessassin</b>: lol<br/><b>Docm77</b>: you too @Jessassin<br/><b>Jessassin</b>: I didn't do anything<br/><b>ZombieCleo</b>: mhm<br/><b>Docm77</b>: BDUBS GIVE ME BACK MY TASER<br/><b>Docm77</b>: OR ELSE GIVE ME YOUR KNIVES<br/><b>BdoubleO100</b>: you wanna fight? <br/><b>BdoubleO100</b>: WAIT NO I DIDNT MEAN IT</p><p><b>xBCrafted</b>: how do u stop Keralis from overeating on apples?<br/><b>Rendog</b>: i don't think you can<br/><b>Etho</b>: we're screwed <br/><b>VintageBeef</b>: we could just let him eat all the  extra apples we picked tho<br/><b>Xisuma</b>: ..how many did you four pick??? I just got a bill for 400 coins<br/><b>Etho</b>: Beef I said charge it to Keralis not Xisuma<br/><b>VintageBeef</b>: oh XD can't hear you over Keralis sorry lol<br/><b>FalseSymmetry</b>: omg you guys</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Link</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>off-topicness</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Excuse me, have you seen this man?" </p><p>Doc turned to see an officer holding a flyer of a certain gremlin. Except for the fact that the person in the picture had a school uniform on, it was definitey Grian.</p><p>Jevin squinted at the photo. "Looks pretty young, did he go missing or something?"</p><p>"Jevin, read the words on the thing. This is just the last photo this server has of him." Cleo rollled her eyes Or tried to. "Oh that's jsut great, now I have to get Joe to help me deal with this eye problem, that's exactly what I wanted to do tonight." she grumbled, stuffing oe loose eye back into it's socket.</p><p>The officer gawked. "Your...eye almost..came out of-"</p><p>"Yeah, yeah,  suck it up. It's what happened when your friend plays necromancer and drags you back from the near-dead." Cleo told him. </p><p>"Charles Xelqua. Interesting name." Doc squinted at the flyer. "Am I allowed to use this information to mess with the Mother Spore?" His mechanical eye was whirling in its socket, and the officer was looking extremely creeped out.</p><p>"Doc, the Turf War is over. Now step back, you're scaring the poor guy." Jevin chided.  "Sorry  about them, Officer. Good luck with finding this Xelqua dude, we'll let you know if we hear anything." The slimeman somehow managed to guide his slightly more trigger-happy  friends away, though not before he himself took a last look back to see the still-gawking face of the officer.</p><p>~~~</p><p>"So, they're out for you head. What's the chances the rest of us are going to run into our pasts too?" Iskall drummed his fingers on the table where he, Scar, Grian, Doc, and Etho were sitting.</p><p>"Not to mention Cub's old dealings, Joe and Cleo's rule-defying statuses. And those are the prominant ones." xB added.</p><p>"I don't think sacrificing half your soul to resurrect your best friend is against the law." Cleo pointed out from her spot on the counter.</p><p>Joe was "hanging" from a celling light next to Cleo. "Technically necromancy isn't supposed to be morally right." The Jhost pointed out. "For example, in the book <i>Frankenstein<i> by Mary Shellay, Viktor Frankenstein created his monster through very unorthodox methods-"</i></i></p><p>
  <i>
    <i>"I was not brought to life via lightning strike, Joe!"</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>"How Cleo was brought back to life is not our priority right now, guys." False interupted the two before a debate on a very off-topic subject was had. "We're supposed to be discussing what we're going to do with Grian's teenager head on the line.</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>Bdubs ripped open his shirt. "Well I'm ready to go fight this Sam person!"</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>Wels and Beef quickly shoved another shirt over his head. "Let's not go there just yet. " Xisuma suggested, he and some of the others nearby having backed away a bit. </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>Jessasin  frowned. "So now what? The police know Grian as Charles Xelqua, aka  the guy that commited crimes, not as Grian, the pro builder and fan favorite." </i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>"It''s a vacation mate, we can just, y'know, use the buddy system....disguises....try not to cause too much trouble?" Mumbo suggested.</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>Ren smirked. "Hey Grian, man, shall we bring back Alfred Griansworth and Nigel Renfeather?"</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>"I mean, Grian does have, what, at least 20 different outfits?" Impulse nodded thoughtfully.</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>"Guinea Pig Grian?" Xisuma suggested. "You could do that guinea pig dane."</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>'"You totally should, I saw some records by Ely Beatmaker in a shop in town!" Beef exclaimed. "That would be so cool if you did a video on that-"</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>Stress giggled. "TThere's the Poultry Man outfit too, no one will ever know who you are...."</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>"Yeah, right. Like no one knows who Worm Man or Duck Woman are." Tango muttered under his breath, getting punched by Zedaph for that comment.</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>"Or your old Link outfit." Mumbo suggested.</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>"Wait, Grian has a Link outfit?" That caught a number of people off guard.</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>"Oh yeah, let me find a photo...." Grian started scrolling through his communicator.</i>
  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>
    <i>And hence the rest of the evening was spent looking at photos and getting very off topic.</i>
  </i>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Oh Biffa....</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Biffa, you really shouldn't have missed the bus.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Hello?"</p><p>Biffa  grimaced. Of course, of all people who had their communicators on....</p><p>"Hey X. It's Biffa,, what's our address?"</p><p>A pause. "Biffa, where are you?"</p><p>Biffa nervously chuckled. "Um....Somewhere in the middle of the citty?"</p><p>"Biffa, the main city is miles away. We're in a town near the main city. What are you dong all the way out there alone?" X waspaying full attention now.</p><p>"Wanted to see the sights, y'know? I mean, I was with Python and Wels earlier, I just missed the train back. Turns out that was the last one until like 10  and I really don't want to be stuck here alone..."</p><p>"Biffa." X sounded exhausted. "Why did you not call in sooner? Scratch that, I need to have a word with Python and Wels for somehow forgetting you were with them."</p><p>"I mean, I did say I was coming and the train looked really full from wher I was so...Anyways, I kinda need to call a cabbie and I need the address for that-"</p><p>Another sigh. "I'm sending it to you right now."</p><p>"Thanks X. Hey, did you guys eat dinner yet? I'm in a cafe drinking some tea right now." Biffa asked.</p><p>"We did. Hypno and Tango brought back pizza from wherever they went. I think most of it is gone though."</p><p>Biffa sighed. "I'll get something to eat then....See you later."</p><p>"See you later, my friend." X logged off and Biffa found himself alone agian, save for the cafe owner and another customer, who was covered in a thick clock, on the other side of the room.</p><p>Biffa slowly sipped his tea and busied himsefl by planning out his next build on the Hermitcraf tserver via one of the functions in his communicator. The cab would take a while to arrive so he might as well be semi-productive, right?</p><p>That's what Biffa thought at the moment. In fact, he got so involved with his projects that he didn't notice the stranger and the cafe owner exchange some money, nor did he notice the cloaked figure approaching him as he worked.</p><p>~~~</p><p>"I can't believe you two, you're suppoesd to be two of the more responsible Hermits!"</p><p>Biffa had not returned after X had last talked with him and his communicator had turned off. Which meant X couldn't pinpoint his location, and that could only mean that Biffa had run into some kind of trouble somehow.</p><p>Python and Wels were looking very guilty at the moment and the other Hermits kept a wide berth. An angry Xisuma was nevera good thing.</p><p>"Have the admins found anything?" Cub ventured.</p><p>"No. Nothing. He's pracically disappeared off the map. I'm still waiting on wrod from the Hub, but I highly doubt he's in another world." Xisuma barely kept from snapping at Cub, his fingers flying over his communicator. "Also, you two are grounded." </p><p>"Which means...?" Python asked.</p><p>Xisuma actualy had to pause and think about that. Python was technically on the Legacy server at the moment and Wels was spending a lot of time in another world doing home design, and neither particpated in the Turf War either...</p><p>"I'll decide later. You two are definitely not going around on your own for a while." Xisuma finally said.</p><p>"That's fari enough." Wels muttered. </p><p>"So now we have to track down Biffa somehow. Do we at least have his last coordinates?" Tango asked from-</p><p>"Tango, get off the bookshelf. I do, so we could have a group go and check around." </p><p>"The ZIT team can handle that, no problemo. Doc Iskall, or one of the Vex l too, Can't hurt to have someone who can see things beyond the naked eye." Impulse grinned, slnging an arm over Zedaph's shoulder.</p><p>"I can go, yeah." Doc grunted from the doorway.</p><p>Xisuma nodded. "Good, that's settled. You four, see what you can find, just don't get too nosy or reckless. I'm trusting Doc and Impulse to be in charge of your combined brain cells and not lose them somehow."</p><p>Team ZIT + D fake saluted him. Xisuma decided not to push the matter and make it even more likely they'd left their braincells back on Hermitcraft.</p><p>Grian stuffed another golden carrot into his mouth. "Hey Ren, Mumbo, you guys want to try another time to go and do some old-friend visiting that doesn't include killer bunnies?"</p><p>"If you feel up to it man, so are we. This diggity-dog's ready to roll." Ren grinned. Mumbo nodded in agreement.</p><p>"Just stay together, you three, and stay out of trouble. That goes for the rest of you. Check in periodically in the groupchat just to be on the safe side, actually." Xisuma said, finishing up his cup of tea. "If anyone needs me, Keralis and I are going to a honey factory."</p><p>For some reason that made everyone else laugh and poke fun at the duo for a good long while.</p><p>~~~</p><p>Biffa couldn't see a thing as he came back into consiousness.</p><p>What he did know was that his hands were tied and there was definitely someone nearby. </p><p>"Hel-"</p><p>He felt something cold against his neck. "Don't move a muscle." a girl's voice hissed. "Now, tell me what your name is."</p><p>Biffa stiffened. "B-Biffa2001..."</p><p>"I knew it." The girl's was sounding very creepy now. "A friend of Charlie, aren't you?"</p><p>"Charlie?"</p><p>He felt the object at his throat move closer. "Don't play dumb with me, I know you know him. Brown hair, black eyes, nickname of Grian."</p><p>"W-What do you want with him? Who-Who are you?"</p><p>A chilling laugh.</p><p>"Yuki. Leader of the Yakuza. Girlfriend of Sam Gladiator."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Recop</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>cats and cameos</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I need to go watch more Yandere.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Any news, Jones?"</p><p>The officer shook his head. "None. No sign of the rabid rabbit at all, Green.'</p><p>Officer Green just sighed. Jones had been making puns about their suspects all week and it was driving him nuts. "Well, how about his friends?"</p><p>Jones thumbed through a folder. "Wood saw a guy who looked like Xelqua but turned out to be the master builder, Grian on vacation...Let's see, Bently ran into Mr. DomRao again but we all know how that ended, Birch came back freaking out about 'scary hybrid players with crazy eyes', whatever that meant. Hmm...oh, the Boss wants to know if we've heard anything about a 'Biffa2001', apparantly he's with a group called 'Hermitcraft' and was on holiday here but disappeared after missing a bus back to town and his last known location was around 8 at night in that cafe Dereks spends too much time at."</p><p>"Missing player report? In the death district? Poor guy, he's probably dead by now."</p><p>"Yeah, his admin apparantly, 'sounds like he needs another vacation after this' and keeps calling in every hour or so according to the report." Jones grimaced. "I feel sorry for Silly Jilly. She's got to deal with that, now that she's joined us for the summer...Anyways we've got very few new leads besdies what I've got in here sadly."</p><p>"Then more searching we'll just have to do."</p><p>"Yup. So, want to grab some doughnuts and coffee?"</p><p>"Sure, why not?"</p><p>~~~</p><p>Biffa was quite annoyed.</p><p>His comunicator had been taken and probably deactivated, he was stuck in a dark prison of hardness, he only got just enough food to stay alive, and he was lingering on less then 5 full hearts at any point.</p><p>In short, he could die quite easily seeing as he had no armor. And since the world was Hardcore, he probabloy wouldn't respawn. Especialy if command blocks were in usage.</p><p>He didn't know if this world had those but he wouldn't put it past certain determined people (Hels, cough cough).</p><p>Mna he hoped Wels' alternate version wasn't here. That would be...really bad.</p><p>Although Grian's NPC creation was also pretty freaky.</p><p>"Ready to talk yet?" The sickening voice of his captor oozed through the air.</p><p>Biffa grimaced. "I still don't even know what information you want. All I know is, I'm missing out on my vacation."</p><p>"You just need to tell me where I can find my boyfriend's friend and you'll be set free."</p><p>Somehow, Biffa got the feeling she did not mean "set free" as in, "you can go back and eat more pizza with your friends".</p><p>He swallowed. "I don't even know who Xelqua is."</p><p>"Yes you do, kekeke..." The sound of a knife.</p><p>This was going to be a fun day/night/whatever it was, along with probably another lost heart of health.</p><p>~~~</p><p>Jellie meowed.</p><p>"Yeah, I know Jellie, I should rest." Scar sighed.</p><p>Another meow.</p><p>"I know but I really need to finish this."</p><p>A third meow.</p><p>"Fine..." Scar let the cat hop into his lap. "Looking up info about Sam online can be done later....for now anyways." he chuckled.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Silly-ness</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>what has this become</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>i gave up on editing</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"This doesn't make any sense! How can Biffa straight up disappear? It's Biffa of all people, he's not exactly someone who usually skulks in the shadows like Etho or keeps to himself like TFC or disappears for random amounts of time and then suddenly re-appears for a month or two like Jessassin!" Tango threw up his hands and nearly backhanded Doc, who had to dodge while tryng to read over the little data he'd collected via his eye and arm for the 3rd time.</p><p>"The cashier wasn't helpful either." Zedaph grumbled.</p><p>Impulse was munching on a bagel. he'd bought while the others looked around or did some questioning. "Maybe we should check the nearest public transport area? Biffa might've gotten himself lost that way..."</p><p>"Ahem."</p><p>The quartet turned to see a young woman with glasses behidn them. </p><p>"Uh, can we help you?" Zedaph asked.</p><p>"Did you say you're looking for a Biffa? As in, Biffa2001?" the young woman asked.</p><p>Tango nodded. "Yeah! Have you heard anything about him?"</p><p>"Sadly, no. However I am in charge of tracking him down." She eyed them over. "Let's talk...somewhere more private."</p><p>~~~</p><p>That "somewhere" ended up being in an apartment down the road from the cafe.</p><p>"Wow, this is pretty cool." Impulse commented as the four boys walked in.</p><p>"Thanks." the girl smiled. "Take a seat." She waved her hand towards the living room area.</p><p>Zedaph immediately collapsed into one of the chairs. "Woah, comfy."</p><p>Doc rolled his real eye and took a much more dignified seat, Impulse joining them.</p><p>"Tango, you joining us?" Zedaph asked.</p><p>Tango didn't reply. He was looking at the pictures  on the wall. "Hey guys...this dude is wearing the same sweater Grian likes to wear. Is that the local fashion or something?"</p><p>The girl glanced over. "Grian?" Her tone seemed a bit hopeful. "I have a friend by that name."</p><p>"Really? So do we. Looks just like this guy. Except with a slightly different hairstyle And wings."</p><p>"Huh. The Grian I know doesn't have wings. At least that I know of....it's been a few years since we last met up. He left to go start his own server and we've only texted a few times since then." </p><p>"It might not, or it might." Doc said. "Either way, much as I like reunions, I believe we're here to discuss Biffa, not Grian. What's your name anyways? You never said."</p><p>"Oh, my name's Silly." the girl told them.</p><p>The boys looked at each other, confused. "What do you mean?" Tango asked.</p><p>The girl actually laughed this time. "No, I mean, my name's actually Silly. Silly Jilly."</p><p>"Oooohhhh."</p><p>"You're not the first, the kids at school were a bit confused too the first time they heard it. So, how about you four?"</p><p>"Docm, Tango, Zedaph, and Impulse." Doc replied. "We're supposed to be on vacation, but...that's not an option when Biffa's gone off the grid."</p><p>"That's some vacation. So, what do you four know about his disappearance?"</p><p>The foursome gave her their side of things, leaving out the Grian-is-a-wanted-criminal part. Silly just nodded and listened, taking a few moments to compare notes.</p><p>"Well, that's almost everything that we know as well, besides the more personal details you gave. Do you know of anyone Biffa might be enemies with? Anyone in your group with enemies who would want to use Biffa as leverage against them?" Silly asked.</p><p>"....I don't think Biffa mentoined any other players that didn't really like him recently...." Doc frowned.</p><p>"Hels probably would though, but he's kind of dumb, I mean he completely failed to trap Wels in a hole. He'd probably just try to stab Wels if he wanted revenge." Tango said.</p><p>Impulse nodded. "Badtimes isn't too bad, but I think he stayed on the server. And Evil X got the evil knocked out of him. Hey, why are we still calling him 'evil' anyways"</p><p>"Because he's anoying. Like Tango in the morning." Zedaph answered. </p><p>"Hey!"</p><p>"No, but seirously," Doc continued as Zedaph grinned and Tango faux-pouted. "Does anyone have any enemies that are acutally smart?"</p><p>"..." The four were silent, before Zedaph squeeked out, "..Sam?"</p><p>Silly's head shot up from behind her notebook, where she was scribblng...something down. "What?"</p><p>Tango elbowed Zedaph. "Oh, um, nnothing. We just heard stuff about how there was some psycho murderer running around."</p><p>Silly's eyes narrowed. "Uh huh." She didn't sound convinced.</p><p>"Look, it's fine, just...Ok, look, what do we do now? Biffa's missing, our admin's going to probably singlehandedly drink all the tea in our rental home, and Zed's freaked about a guy with bunny ears." Impulse broke in, waving his hands around a bit.</p><p>Silly tilted her head. "I can't help with the last two very much but I can help with the first one. We just need to start tracking where Biffa went and who might have seen him at that time."</p><p>"How do we do that?" Impulse asked.</p><p>"...I might know someone. Their name is Ellen and they're a psychic."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Red Herrings</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>I'm sorry</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The New OotS will reappear soon...</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>All of Biffa hurt.</p><p>The creepy girl had suddenly decided he was useless and had gone to stab him into death when she changed her mind again and had him thrown outside onto the sidewalk.</p><p>Where he was he didn't know-it was too dark to tell and he hurt too much to move. He'd probably die of bloodloss or something.</p><p>Was it too much to ask for a quick death instead of a slow and cold one?</p><p>He knew she was watching. Enjoying watching him flinch in pain every now and then. Enjoying watching him struggle to get to the half-broken communicator inches from him. Enjoying watching him grow weaker as more blood was spilled as the minutes passed.</p><p>It was the middle of the night. No one would find him. This wasn't like the Hermitcraft shopping district, where someone was always walking around at any given time of the day (or night). This wasn't a busy city like, say, Blocktopia. It was a small city that was quiet at night, excluding the occassional small-city stuff. He wasn't on a big street either.</p><p>He was screwed.</p><p>He flinched as another round of pain surged through him. He needed to get to his communicator. But how...?</p><p>He stretched one more time. His fingertips brushed the cold edge of the device.</p><p>And then he blacked out.</p><p>~~~</p><p>"Hello?" </p><p>"Is this Xisuma Void? Admin of the Hermitcraft server?"</p><p>Xisuma nearly spat out his cup of midnight tea. "Yes...? Who is this?" he managed after swallowing properly.</p><p>"Silly Jilly. I'm the one working on your missing player case. Uh, I was, anyways. Can you meet me at the hospital closest to the cafe Biffa went missing at?"  Silly's voice was rather soft and X had to strain to hear it, even putting the volume up completely.</p><p>"Sure." XIsuma then realized what she was saying. "You found him? Where? How? Is he alright?"</p><p>"It's better if you come see for yourself." Silly answered. "Also, I've got four of your hermits here sleeping on the floor. You might want to prepare to call a cab later."</p><p>"Well at least they're also alright. I'll be there soon." Xisuma finished the call and then, at risk of waking everyone up, whooped.</p><p>And then turned very red when Keralis, Xb, and Wels caught him mid-whoop.</p><p>It wasn't long before Keralis and Xisuma were on the way to the hospital, leaivng Xb and Wels to explain what little they knew to everyone else in the morning. Most of that explaining would be why a delivery guy showed up at 6 in the morning with a giant cake.</p><p>Though maybe they shouldn't have celebrated quite so soon, as a pink-haired girl  waswatching and plotting from the shadows.</p><p>And in a police station not too  far away, an officer had finally connected the dots and had ordered an arrest.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Dom Dom Dommmmm...</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>well then.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Zedaph had found him first.</p><p>The ZIT team +Doc had spent most of the day with Silly and, after getting permission from Xisuma, most of the evening.</p><p>As it turned out, Silly's friend was a fortune teller and most definitely not quite what the Hermits were expecting. In fact, the Hermits decided to let Silly do the talking because they had no idea what was even happening anymore, especially after a guy nearby started yelling about fish.</p><p>Of course Zedaph just had to investigate and when Silly came back she found four boys and a bucket of pufferfish they didn't know what to do with.</p><p>From Ellen's fortune-telling stand they ended up at the beach, where they were introduced to Dom Rao who led them quite the goose chase for most of the afternoon and somehow that led to the six of them eating soba at a small restaurant.</p><p>They found no trace of Biffa, essentially, and instead made two new friends and enjoyed good soba.</p><p>Well, they found no trace until they started walking back to the beachside villa after leaving Silly's apartment (and watching a Japanese newscast).  </p><p>Zed saw the scene first. Well, actually he saw the glow of the communicator. "Hey, someone dropped something." He called to the others, jogging forward. "Someone's commu- Oh my goodness. Oh gosh. What th-" He stared at the bloody body in front of him.</p><p>"What is it Ze- Woah man, that's....." Doc knelt down and started feeling for a pulse.</p><p>"That is really bad." Tango agreed. Impulse was averting his eyes.</p><p>"They're alive. But we should call someone." Doc grunted. </p><p>Tango nodded. "On it." He went to the side and called up Silly....because he didn't know the emergency number in Japan.</p><p>Doc was in charge of the braincell still and had the sense to ask, "So, anything on the communicator?"</p><p>Zedaph looked down. "Oh. Right." He started inspecting the mangled object that, for unknown reason, still had its screen lit up. "Hey wait a moment, why does thi scommunicator have the word 'Hermitcraft' above the screen?"</p><p>Impulse peeked over Zedaph's shoulder. "Huh? Wait. Hold on, shine the light on the dead-ish guy's face."</p><p>"What? Why?"</p><p>"So someone's a fan, you want to know what they look like?" Doc asked.</p><p>Impulse was in possession of the braincell now. "Just do it and don't drop it on his face."</p><p>"How do you know it's a him?" Zedaph asked, walking forward to kneel next to Doc. "I don't - Oh. Oh gosh. Tango, we need to call X."</p><p>"Why do we need to call X?" Tango had just ended his call with Silly, who was on her way. </p><p>"It's Biffa."</p><p>"...Does this mean we have to actually to follow up with that deal we made with Dom the Devil about motorcycle racing?"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. When they come knocking....</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>*sighs* stuff happened.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"So this seriously can't wait until the guy who's in charge around here gets back?"</p><p>Cleo was leaning on the doorframe,, facing down three officers who had shown up during breakfast saying they, "needed to ask a few questions".</p><p>"I'm sorry ma'am, but it would be appreciated if we could do this as soon as possible. Preferably with all or most members of the household here as well." Officer #1 said.</p><p>"Well, that's the problem. We're here on vacation, so we don't own the place. We've got one idiot in the hospital, 4 players waiting at said hospital, and the guy in charge went off with his roommate to go deal with all of that. Three more went jogging about 10 minutes ago so they won't be back for an hour. And I'm not going to be the one sporting a new bruise trying to wake up certain people who should be awake by now but aren't." Cleo listed off. "So yes, I'm certain it'll be much better if you come back later. My coffee's getting cold and if I don't go reclaim my mug of it the coffee addicts in the kitchen will drink it for me."</p><p>"Too late, we already did! Sorry Cleo!" Wels' voice called from the kitchen.</p><p>"You'd better run before I break your legs." Cleo hollered back, before turning to the officers. "Sorry 'bout that. Here's the number of our Admin, go call him or something. Whatever works, just don't come knocking at some ridiculous time in the morning. I'm going back to bed." Cleo shoved a piece of paper with a hastily-scribbled number on it at the gawking offiers before closing the door and taking a deep breath of relief as the officers, deciding they weren't getting more out of this visit, walked off.</p><p>"So, should I call the remainder of the NHO to come back?" False asked</p><p>"Nah, they can come back on their own time. Those guys probably won't be back for a while but they'll definitely stay in the area to watch the place." Cleo grunted and stretched. "Anyways, can you go let Etho know it's his turn to fend off visitors friendly or not, I'm going to go steal the rest of the coffee Wels drank plenty already since that trio next door stopped by, it's time someone else had a turn."</p><p>"Sure thing." False chuckled.</p><p>~~~</p><p>"So you're sure you'll be fine?"</p><p>"X, I'll be perfectly fine. It's just a few stab wounds."</p><p>"Biffa, you were found almost dead. It's a wonder you're this alive and consious."</p><p>"I've had worse. Ravagers are more brutal."</p><p>Xisuma sighed. "Yes but they don't hold you hostage for 24 hours, torture you for information you don't have, and then dump you in the middle of the city on the sidewalk."</p><p>"Oh right. That's true." Biffa chuckled ruefully. "Um, sorry for making you lose more sleep?"</p><p>"It's fine my friend." Xisuma checked his communicator. "Oh dear, I think I might be getting a call soon. I believe that is my cue to take my leave. for now, just call if you need anything. Tango and Doc managed to fix your communicator." Xisuma gestured at the bracelet on the side table. "And Beef and Hypno are on supposed to be on the way here."</p><p>"Sounds good. I'm going to sleep." Biffa yawned.</p><p>"That sounds like a good idea. Have a good rest, my friend." Xisuma bid him farewell and headed out to rejoin Keralis, just as his communicator rang with a call from the police.</p><p>~~~</p><p>"Hello my fellow miners and crafters, Good Times with Scar here and today we are hanging out with our friends Grian, Stress, and False here on the beach of- wait, where are we again?"</p><p>"Buraza Town! It's the beach. Fun memories for me." Grian muttered the last part just out of reach for the microphone on Scar's camera to pick up.</p><p>"Right! And...what are we doing exactly?"</p><p>"Watching False surf like a pro and waiting for Mumbo to forget to show up?"</p><p>"Grian!"</p><p>"What, it's the truth, Stress! Mumbo and meetings just don't mix!"</p><p>Scar laughed and managed to propel his wheelchair closer with a mix of Vex magic and a rocket. "Well, I mean, you're not wrong there...."</p><p>"Sorry I'm later! I couldn't find my surfboard." Mumbo came running up wearing a wetsuit. </p><p>"Just in time, there's some good waves out today!" False called from the water.</p><p>"Hey Scar, if the water's that good....are you thinking what I"m thinking?" Grian gave a devilish smile to Scar.</p><p>Scar thought for a moment. "Hmm....maybe? Does it involved rockets?"</p><p>"Yup. Let's do it, shall we?"</p><p>"Well, sure, why not?"</p><p>"What?" Stress barely had time to ask, before Scar launched his chair into the air and Grian took off with a flap of his wings and a well-timed rocket. Grian left his camera filming on the sands, while Scar brought his for the ride as the duo swooped around and chased after the surfers, Stress watching from the sidelines and wondering whether she would have to drag anyone out of the water.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>On the HermitChat:<br/><b>FalseSymmetry</b>: why is there a police car outside?<br/><b>Docm7</b>: probably asking about Biffa stuff<br/><b>Impulse</b>: didnt they  already do that at the hospital?<br/><b>iJevin</b>: uh oh<br/><b>BdoubleO100</b>: want us to come back?<br/><b>CubFan135</b>: no, we'll just send out Wels to negotiate or something.<br/><b>Welsknight</b>: send cleo. <br/><b>ZombieCleo</b>: why me?<br/><b>Tango</b>: probably cuz ur actually functionable?<br/><b>ZombieCleo</b>: fine dont complain if i break their legs though</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. ...you should probably pay attention the first time</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Warning: Do not read if you thought Biffa being kidnapped was bad enough.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>im sorry</p><p>also went through and added stuff to the ending notes on chapters so do look back sometime :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Excuse me ma'am, but we were informed by-" The officer squinted at the scribbled notes in his hand "-Mr. Hypno that a Mr. Grian was here?"</p><p>Stress blinked. "Um, he's out there." She gestured at the ocean, where Scar and Grian were still messing around with False and Mumbo. "Did you want to talk to him or something? Autographs?"</p><p>The other officer cleared his throat. "Yeah, something like that...Wait, autographs?"</p><p>"Wouldn't be the first time, luvs, the Grian's got a fan club practically everywhere at this point." Stress laughed. "I can call him back over here if you really need to see him though. Otherwise I'm rather inclined to let him pester someone else for a bit."</p><p>"Uh, preferably we'd like to see him sooner..."</p><p>"Sure thing then. Grian! You've got visitors!" Stress called up to the avian, who was cackling as False yelled good-naturedly at him to stop distracting her.</p><p>Grian however didn't hear. Stress tried again. "Grian!"</p><p>No response, though Scar waved and made some awkward-looking hand motions to signify he heard her calling. But Grian brushed him off when Scar tried to get his attention, seemingly too intent on grabbing a fish mid-flight.</p><p>Stress tried a third time. "GRIAN! Uh....Oh! BDUBS JUST TEXTED ME AND TOLD ME THAT ETHO IS GOING TO DO SOME PEST RELOCATION IN YOUR ROOM!"</p><p>The officers looked confused but Grian's attention had been attracted. "What!? How dare he! I thought we were friends! I specifically told Shade-E-E's I wasn't interested in their 'services'!" Grian yelped, landing just in front of Stress. "Where's Etho gone, I want a word with him on how many ender pearls he brought on vacation!"</p><p>Stress nervously chuckled and inched away. "Um, Bdubs never texted me, I just needed your attention luv, so, um...." Stress gestured at the officers. </p><p>Grian's face somehow both paled and darkened at the same time. "Ohhhh boy not this again...Fine, what do you guys want?" </p><p>One of the officers stepped forward. "Your name?"</p><p>"Grian."</p><p>"Full name."</p><p>"...Grian, I mean, unless you mean Grian or whatever everyone's calling me. Groin, Grine, Gran-"</p><p>"No, I mean your full legal name."</p><p>Grian paused for a moment. "..Charles Xelqua..." He muttered.</p><p>"Pardon?"</p><p>"Charles Xelqua."</p><p>Stress silently watched from the sides with wide eyes as the other officer cleared his throat and announced, "Charles Xelqua, you are hearby under arrest for numerous crimes, including but not limited to possession of drugs, possession of  illegal firearms, murder, false identity, theft, and so forth. Turn around and place your hands behind your back." </p><p>Grian sighed. "Fine. Can I at l pass Stress my com I got some really good audio just now that Scar can use for his next vlog."</p><p>"No."</p><p>Grian muttered a cuss and let the officers cuff him, just as Mumbo, False, and Scar made it to shore, Mumbo starting to freak out while Scar tried to hold False back from doing something rash.</p><p>"Gri? What's going on?" Mumbo managed to ask.</p><p>"The past caught up. Tell Biffa I"m sorry my procrastination got him stabbed, will you?" Grian asked.</p><p>"What? No! G-"</p><p>"Dude you can watch my trial, I'm not dead forever...yet anyways." Grian tried for a smile that looked forced. "Sorry guys." </p><p>The officers led him away, Grian's friends watching horrified.</p><p>It was several minutes later before Stress remembered the camera Grian left on the sand. Picking it up, she turned it off before putting it in her pack to pass to Xisuma.</p><p>"Now what?" Scar asked. "Grian's going on trial and he's 100% guilty, we all know that."</p><p>False had a look of detrmination on her face. "We find a way to bust him out. Or something like that."</p><p>"...And how do we do that?" Mumbo asked.</p><p>"We start with tracking down his friends and seeing how he got out of things the last time he was here."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>On the HermitChat:</p><p><b>Stressmonster101</b>: we have a code Poultry Man<br/><b>Xisuma</b>: where?<br/><b>JoeHillSays</b>: how?<br/><b>Stressmonster101</b>: Beach, with Mumbo, False, and Scar. They already took him to the station.<br/><b>Xisuma</b>: I'm on my way back. Everyone except Biffa, Hypno, and Beef, meet back at the villa ASAP.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Plans and Figures</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>HIB might be back?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Scar sat in front of the computer. He'd been doing this every chance he had, in an attempt to figure out...things.</p><p>He got nowhere. Even with his knowledge from his time at Area 77, nothing.</p><p>Well, almost nothing.</p><p>Ok, fine. He'd gotten a lot of info. But nothing particularly useful in busting out a Grian.</p><p>The dude had way too many crimes and the worst part?</p><p>Sam had recorded videos of a lot of said crimes.</p><p>Yes. Scar had spent the last few days watching videos of a crazy bunny boy and his friends at school. Half the people in the videos probably hadn't even signed consent forms.</p><p>Wait. That was it.</p><p>Scar reached for his communicator. He had some work to do.</p><p>~~~</p><p>"...and by adding spruce trapdoors to both sides of the glass pane you get a very nice window-"</p><p>Grian had gotten bored of waiting around for something to happen and as such, was describing how to build a woodland cottage to his poor guard who was not quite as interested in building as Grian was.</p><p>"-and then you can simply add a few ferns and flowers in window boxes, which you can make by putting down a dirt block or a grass block-"</p><p>"Will you please shut up."</p><p>"Nope! Anyways.-"</p><p>The guard groaned. This was going to be a long day.</p><p>~~~</p><p>"No."</p><p>The figure in front of Iskall narrowed their eyes. "Agent 85, are you-"</p><p>"No. I'm done with being a hitman on hardcore servers.. I have morals and I intend to keep them. Now if you'll excuse me." Iskall dodged around the figure and started walking.</p><p>The figure turned and watched him leave. "85-"</p><p>"I don't want to hear it. I'm done. Good day."</p><p>"...Fine. But you'll regret it."</p><p>Iskall paused for a second and looked back. "I don't think I will somehow." he said simply before turning and continueing on his way.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Chrip</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Grian is bored and for once he didn't start a server war over something.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Don't even think about it Grian."</p><p>Grian was sitting in the most unconventional way possible without getting a stink eye from the guards next to him. In front of him, through a glass viewing window, Xisuma and Mumbo were sitting on hard-backed chairs., Xisuma with his arms crossed and Mumbo nervously drumming his fingers on his pant legs.</p><p>Grian gave an easygoing grin to Xisuma. "What are you talking about?"</p><p>"You have that look. The one that you get whenever you've got one of your ideas." </p><p>"And we all know where those end up." Mumbo added.</p><p>Grian raised an eyebrow. "I have no idea what you mean."</p><p>Xisuma gave him <i>the look</i>.</p><p>Grian sighed. "Ok, fine. But I haven't lost yet!"</p><p>"Impulse found your secret base in his base."</p><p>"That's different. Besides, jail's boring. The guards really don't have appreciation for proper building techniques here. And they were only mildly interested in my Dreamslayer play-by-play."</p><p>"That's rough buddy." Mumbo had no idea what to say to that, since...well, it wasn't like Grian could busy himself by building and designing a third mansion.</p><p>Xisuma cleared his throat. "So, Joe and Cleo decided they're in charge of your defense team."</p><p>"Oh boy."</p><p>"Tango's coding a program to figure out our chance of winning the case."</p><p>"There's a chance?!"</p><p>"Wels and Impulse may or may not have started a war of tea versus coffee with Biffa and I."</p><p>"Aww, I'm missing a war? Put me down for tea, by the way."</p><p>"Will do. Oh and Scar's holed himself up in his room. We don't know what he's doing but Tango says it's helping him." Xisuma finished.</p><p>"Oh. That's...interesting?"</p><p>"We're not questioining it anymore."Mumbo  agreed.</p><p>Grian stretched his wings a bit. "Great, so the trial's like, right before the end of our vacaion...you guys arne't spending your whole break on me and my dumb teenage self right?"</p><p>"Of course not." Xisuma reassured him. "We're relaxing. Or at least, we have semi-decent sleep schedules now."</p><p>"Same. Food's boring though. Bring me a parrot plush and a burge next time? I need someone to talk to and at least Professor Beak listened to my chattering." </p><p>Mumbo choked out a laugh. "Um, yeah, sure Gri..."</p><p>"Cool. Looks like time's up, guess I'll see you guys later?"</p><p>"Definitely." Xisuma agreed, as Giran was led out of the visiting area.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p><b>Iskal85</b>: Jess, u free?<br/><b>Jessassin</b>: yes<br/><b>Iskall85</b>: we need to talk, meet me in the lobby?<br/><b>Jessassin</b>: uh...sure?<br/><b>Welsknight</b>: so long Jess, what flowers do you want at your funeral?<br/><b>RenDog</b>: lol<br/><b>FalseSymmetry</b>: Wels!<br/><b>Jessassin</b>: thanks a lot for the support<br/><b>Iskall85:</b>: :D<br/><b>iJevin</b>:why is there banging coming from the Sahara room?<br/><b>Jessassin</b>: not helping Iskall omw<br/><b>Etho</b>: did X and Mumbo already leave?<br/><b>FalsySymmetry</b>: yes<br/><b>Etho</b>:oh nvm then<br/><b>GoodTimeswithScar</b>: @Cubfan135, @TangoTek, meet in kitchen?<br/><b>Cubfan135</b>: sure<br/><b>Tango</b>: aye aye Cap'n Angry Eyes!<br/><b>Docm77</b>: hey what about me?<br/><b>Cubfan135</b>: u can come too Doc<br/><b>GoodTimeswithScar</b>: the more the merrier!<br/><b>iJevin</b>: is NO ONE concerned about the weird banging from the closet of  the Sahara room???<br/><b>Iskall85</b>: why are you even in our room dude?<br/><b>iJevin</b>: was goning to prank but closet<br/><b>iJevin</b>: why is it locked<br/><b>Iskalll85</b>: ...don't open it, that's what Grian said....<br/><b>xBCrafted</b>: wasn't he carrying that giant sack of stuff on the way here? That might be it<br/><b>iJevin</b>: ...why it is yelling aboout rustic houses??? i thin kthere's someone inside<br/><b>Iskall85</b>: DON"T OPEN IT<br/><b>iJevin</b>: RUN<br/><b>iJevin</b>: RUn<br/><b>iJevin</b>: Hel<br/><b>MumboJumbo</b>: RIP Jevin why did you open the clsoet<br/><b>Iskall85</b>: someone get some rustic house supplies out ASAP lol</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Rusticity</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The last filler before stuff happens</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Seriously? Them? Again?"</p><p>"Yes."</p><p>Iskall and Jess were in a cornor of the villa, discussing Iskall's little...interaction. Jess was tapping his fingers on the floor, looking worried.</p><p>"If they know you're here, they'll proably figure out I am too."</p><p>"Yeah. But what else can we do? Grian's going on trial soon and as one of his closest friends I need to be there."</p><p>"It'll look bad in a way though, you're a former hitman-heck, you've tried to kill Grian before! You've got records."</p><p>"I know."</p><p>"So, wat are you going to do?" Jess asked. The Swede shrugged. "Well you've got to decide soon."</p><p>The two fell into silence, a silence only broken by the sounds of their communicators beeping. Iskall groaned the moment he saw whatever Jevin was doing. "Of course he let Grian's murderous projects loose..."</p><p>"What?!"</p><p>Iskall didn't explain, instead running off to find supplies for a rustic house leaving Jess very confused and the hitman problem just as unsolved as before.</p><p>~~~</p><p>"Wow, that's amazing! So who won the Turf War?" Jesse asked.</p><p>The girls of the area (Stress, False, Cleo, Jesse, and Olivia) were sitting on the lawn of the villa just hanging out. Stress, False, and Cleo were telling their new friends about their Hermitventures...which started to sound ridiculous even to them now that they looked back on the fun.</p><p>"Obviously the Resistance, mostly thanks to the Goatfather." Stress laughed. "Doc really poped off, he was probably the best recruit out of everyone Grian roped into the team."</p><p>"Yeah, if Doc hadn't joined Grian's band of merry men we might have had a chance." False agreed.</p><p>"Speaking of chances, Jevin unleashed one of Grian's maniacs so we should probably move out of the area before we have to build a rustic house." Cleo, who was reading her communicator, siad.</p><p>Olivia looked confused. "Huh?"</p><p>"Grian dabbled in robotics and his inventions....Well, let's jsut say they're really something else." False grimaced, standing up. "So Jesse, you mentioned there's a good bakery around the area?"</p><p>"Yep! C'mon, I'll show you grils, you are going to love this place!" Jesse exclaimed as the quintet started walking down the road away from the sounds of a slime being harrassed by an NPC.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Halls, Houses, and Kind-of Mad Folks</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Grian is slightly unnerving, somehow a museum has his face, and a certain cow and creeper are kind of not happy</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"What do you mean, 'NPG went rougue'? He isn't due to go rogue....unless...Wait, did you change the photo of the rustic house in front of him the night before?" Grian asked.</p><p>"What?!" Mumbo looked confused.</p><p>"That explains everything. Just change the rustic house photo tonight and you'll be fine for the next two days."</p><p>Iskall and Mumbo glanced at each other. "O-kay...." </p><p>Grian laughed. "Don't worry, NPG's not that bad as long as he gets a new rustic house every now and RoboG just needs to stay unpowered, which shouldn't be a problem since I disconnected him after he broke down. Uh, definitely don't tell him that I'm in trouble, that would not be good."</p><p>"Like with Grumbot and the mayoral campaign?" Mumbo asked.</p><p>"Exactly like that but ten times worse."</p><p>Iskall gulped. "Good to know." </p><p>"Time's up, you three." The guard called. The Architechs quickly bid their goodbyes and parted ways.</p><p>~~~</p><p>"...And this is the Hall of Fame. All the most famous pranksters in history." The tour guide declared as the tour group entered a large hall. A few minutes of information later and soon, everyone was scattered around looking at the vairous exhibits and portraits.</p><p>"Hey guys, why does that picture look like Grian?" Wels pointed at a picture of a certain red-sweatered blonde grinning from a portrait.</p><p>False snorted. "Wouldn't be surprised, honostly."</p><p>"Oh my frickin' goodness, that's because it's actually Grian." XB had managed to get a bit closer, close enough to see the name on the plaque. "Guys, whose idea was it to let him have access to a creeper farm? It says here that he's known for pranks involving TNT."</p><p>"That explains so much." Wels muttered.</p><p>"You know one of our Famed Pranksters?" The tour guide had come up behind the trio.</p><p>"Yeah, he's one of our server members." False nodded.</p><p>"And I'm still salty Zedaph and Mumbo got to kill him and I didn't. How's that even fair?" Wels grumbled.</p><p>"To be fair you weren't even on the server at the time." False pointed out. "Now c'mon, we need to get photos so we can use Doc as a printer and show Grian. I bet he doesn't know about this."</p><p>"Why don't you bring him yourself?" The guide asked curiously.</p><p>The tiro exchanged looks. "Uh..heh..um..." Xb chcukled.</p><p>"He's-" Wels started, but False intervened. ""Let's just say he's occupied."</p><p>The guide blinked, then shrugged. "Alright then.." She moved away to talk to other guests.</p><p>"Hey guys, it says he's a part of CraftedMovie...did anyone let them know? I don't think we want to get on their bad side." XB commented, having continued to read Grian's ridiculously long biography. That guy was such a worldhopper, it was a wonder how he got so man things done.</p><p>"Huh? I think maybe X probably did." False shrugged. "Hey, Etho's here too."</p><p>"And he's holding an anvil. That's not scary at all." Wels laughed as the trio moved on.</p><p>~~~</p><p>Xisuma frowned at his communicaotr. "Hey, is Grian friends with a "Salted" and a "Jumla"?"</p><p>"I think they're from Wynncraft, why?" Bdubs asked.</p><p>"...So apparantly they're a little mad about Grian getting arrested."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Etho, no-</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Grian, please stop attracting your friends like paperclips to magnets. This fic was not supposed to be about you, much as I love writing your character-</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"I'm sorry but you are rquired to either have a pass or join the world to continue beyond this point." </p><p>"One of our team members is in jail! C'mon, we just want to visit! Please?!"</p><p>The moderator shrugged. "Sorry, rules are rules."</p><p>Jumla dragged Salted back towards the hub portal, though didn't go through it. "They won't let us in, now what?"</p><p>"We could break in, break Grian out, then hide out in Wynncraft?"</p><p>"Sounds like a movie plot that'll end badly though."</p><p>"It's worth a try, we did it before when we broke out that cow!"</p><p>"Yeah but the cow died. Remember?" </p><p>"Oh yeah. I forgot." Salted sighed.</p><p>"You could always just get a pass from someone."</p><p>The duo jumped forwards. "Argh! Who are you?" Salted yelped.</p><p>The Kakashi cosplayer just smirked. "A friend. Heard you were having some problems. I can get you in and out, no problem."</p><p>"Woah there, you still haven't said who you are. How do we know we can trust you?" Jumla protested.</p><p>"As far as we know you could be a moderator undercover or something." Salted added.</p><p>The ninja just laughed. "A mod? Yeah, no, I'm no mod. I'm just a guy who wants to lend a helping hand. For a small price, of corse. You just have to help me move some shulkers."</p><p>Salted and Jumla exchanged looks.</p><p>The dude raised his hands. "Hey, I don't do this stuff for free or I'd be broke by now. But I can assure you, my customers almost always leave with some satisfaction!"</p><p>"I don't know dude, that's a bit sus..." Salted was backing away, a move Jumla soon copied.</p><p>"Aww, c'mon, it's a good deal. I get you in and out, you help me move my shulkers. Everything will be almost completely legal too!"</p><p>"...Can we at least know your name before we accept?" Salted asked.</p><p>"Salted!"</p><p>"He already knows our names so we might as we ll know his!"</p><p>"Yeah, you two were terrible at keeping it a secret. And I suppose it is fair....Name's Etho. Now do you want to see Grian or not?" Etho asked, starting to walk away from the portal.</p><p>Salted and Jumla exchanged glances. "..Yeah, sure." </p><p>~~~</p><p>"ETHO! What did I say about tricking people into doing your work for you?!"</p><p>"Not to?"</p><p>"Exactly! And what did you do?"</p><p>"..To be fair it was an easy way to not have to do a mound of paperwork."</p><p>Xisuma groaned and massaged his helmet's forehead. "You'll get us into more trouble if they get caught!"</p><p>"No they won't, they're with me. Besides, I already ordered their passes." Etho smirked.</p><p>Xisuma stared, then threw up his hands. "I give up." he muttered as he stalked away. "Don't get into too much trouble then."</p><p>A X disappeared to continue supervising the ZIT team's cooking attempts wihth TFC, Etho turned to grin at his new customers. A grin appeared on his face (mostly hidden by his mask) as he rubbed his hands together. "Right, so you got those shulkers all packed up? It's time to set up Stealth-E-E's: The sequel to Sneak-E-E's, Ice-E-E's, and Shade-E-E's."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Hermit Court</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Howdy y'all, Laywer Joe from Nashville, Tennessee is here. And apparantly, Grian thinks I'm a lawyer.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"...and this wil be your lawyer, Lawyer_Gerricks." </p><p>Grian, who had been half-dozing and totally paying attention, suddenly jolted awake. "Wait, what?"</p><p>The officer gave him a look. "Your lawyer. To help you during your case when you go on trial."</p><p>The player next to the officer waved. "Hello."</p><p>Grian stared for a while  at the player, who he'd never seen before in his life. Then he turned to the officer. "Am I allowed to call in my own lawyer?"</p><p>"Your records show that you have not been on this world in at least 10 years, and since it would take too long to get someone from another server over-"</p><p>"I literally came here with 20 other people and what feels like 80% of the people I know."</p><p>"The laywer would need to be certified here as well."</p><p>Grian frowns, thinking, before brightening up. "Give me around three days and if I can't get a lawyer by that time, this guy can do the honors."</p><p>~~~</p><p>"Grian, I am not qualified-"</p><p>"Yes you most certainly are, I saw that video you made-"</p><p>"That was all part of the storyline!-"</p><p>"And you did quite well-"</p><p>"Why don't you ask Scar or Wels or someone-"</p><p>"Scar, Cub, and Wels come from the Kingdomcraft server. Not the Worldcraft server-"</p><p>"I still don't know why you want me playing lawyer-"</p><p>"You're good with words and anyways I know you're not going to ditch me just because I was a dumb teenager who did dumb stuff."</p><p>A pause. Then a sigh of resignation. "Alright. Fine. I'll do it."</p><p>"Thanks Joe, I'll give you half off at the Barge."</p><p>"Grian, I don't do diamonds-"</p><p>
  <i>Click</i>
</p><p>"Grian!!!"<br/>
~~~</p><p>"Heere's everything I dug up about Grian and his friends." Scar put down the large stack of folders on the table.</p><p>Joe just stared.</p><p>"What?" Scar asked innocenetly.</p><p>"...That's what you spent the last few days doing?" Joe finally sputtered out. Scar only nodded, smilng and petitng Jellie. "Well...I guess we've got something to work off now..."</p><p>"Well, let's get to it then! C'mon, we don't have all day!" Cleo chirped, reaching for the folders to pass around to everyone. "Make notes of anything useful and when you're done, pass the folder on. We all need to be on the same page and maybe one of us willl  find something that'll work."</p><p>The others on the designated "Keep-Grian-Out-Of-Jail" team nodded and started busying themselves. There was a lot to do and not much time.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Hijinks and Hits</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Another filler chaapter.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"It was amazing meeting you guys." Jesse said, as she hugged Stress.</p><p>"You'd better promise to keep in touch." Stress replied.</p><p>Cleo smirked. "Yeah, we gotta have our new monthly all-girls all-nighter. I for one will be knocking X in the shins if he denies us our fun."</p><p>"Don't worry, you girls are more then welcome to have your girls' night." X dryly commented from the side. "I like having my legs intact, thanks."</p><p>The mix of Hermits and MSMers laughed as the last goodbyes were said and good lucks were wished to the Hermits and their upcoming court battles and various shenanigans.</p><p>And soon, the trio of Jesse, Olivia, and Axel were gone through the portal.</p><p>~~~</p><p>The NHO had decided to go to a showcase fair happening in the area.</p><p>The plan? Go there, take a quick look around, come back in time for lunch with the OHO.</p><p>That wasn't happening whatsoever at this rate.</p><p>Etho had somehow gotten roped into given an impromptu redstone lesson. Which wasn't too abnormal. THe other three just grinned, waved, and kept moving- Etho would catch up.</p><p>THen Doc saw some new upgrades in prosthetics. He had to check those out, so Beef and Bdubs split from him  so they could get food while they waited.</p><p>Beef was the third to get sidetracked, becoming a bit of a fanboy the moment he saw some cool map art.</p><p>And Budbs? Well, it was purely coincidental that there was a display of bedrooms nearby.</p><p>So when Wels and BIffa came looking for the quartet, they found themselves trying to figure out what to do when all members of the NHO were a bit busy doing stuff.</p><p>And while trying to figure this little setback out, Biffa ended up joining Doc at looking at new tech and Wels joining a sparring contest.</p><p>It was long past dusk when the six managed to tear themselves away and start heading back.</p><p>~~~</p><p>As for Grian?</p><p>He was having the time of his life. Apparantly this jail had a music night and....well...</p><p>Someone made the mistake of giving Grian a microphone. The other prisoners were certain he'd be joining their ranks so why not include him in their entertainment?</p><p>Either way the prisoners got a free show filled with all of Grian's biggest hits. And if the guards snuck in a track with remixes of Grian's songs later when the Breadman decided he was done signging, the warden didn't need to know.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Joe's Plea for Grian not to take his head for being half-asleep</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>....what did i do</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>'Twas the night before Grian's trial  and  all through the villa</p><p>Not a creature was stirring, not even Biffa.</p><p>The documents were stacked by the front door with care</p><p>In hopes that Scar's research would make the prosecuters stare.</p><p> </p><p>The Hermits  were nestled all snug in their beds,</p><p>While visions of megabuilds danced in their heads;</p><p>Cleo was bouncing a ball at  my head</p><p>Whilst I, Joe Hills of Nashville, endured all of her threats.</p><p> </p><p>When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,</p><p>I sprang from the desk  to see what was the matter.</p><p>Away to the window I flew like a flash,</p><p>Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.</p><p> </p><p>The moon was shining so bright in the sky</p><p>That I could see clearly what was happening in the night.</p><p>Four figures in black, all dressed head to toe</p><p>Sneaking around- to where, only God knows.</p><p> </p><p>A slime, a ninja, an assassin and hitman</p><p>Were all  quickly and quietly leaving the land</p><p>But then just as they started to disappear from sight</p><p>Another appeared, calling into the night-</p><p> </p><p>"Now, Stormform! now, Starfinder! now, SacredRedStone!</p><p>On, Marthy! on Zita_art! on, GalaxyMettaton</p><p>To the wall of the villa, get hold of that lot!"</p><p>Then  dash away! dash away! dash away all!"</p><p> </p><p>The three Hermits below, all well known for their skills</p><p>Faced off against a small gang of Yakuza killers</p><p>The two group, they clashed in a deafening matter</p><p>Waking quite a few of our neihgbors in the neighboring manor.</p><p> </p><p>And then, in a twinkling, I saw the flash of a knife</p><p>A sole cry of pain, enough to raise life</p><p>As I drew in my hand, and was turning to run</p><p>I saw Cleo already making her way down.</p><p> </p><p>By the time we got down there, the fight had been ended</p><p>A fight that omehow Etho, Jevin, and Jess had won</p><p>But on the ground, Iskall was heavily bleeding</p><p>And he looked like he'd taken quite a heavy beating.</p><p> </p><p>His mechanical eye was flickering slightly</p><p>His breathing was labroed and his pulse was unsteady</p><p>Cleo was frantically calling for help</p><p>And someone's communicator  rang like a bell.</p><p> </p><p>First aid was given, as best as we could</p><p>(I had had enough thought to put preassure on the wound)</p><p>A first aid kid was provided by X</p><p>As all of us wondered what would happen next.</p><p> </p><p>The minutes, though short as now I look back</p><p>Felt like forever as I was there then</p><p>The ambulance came fast, and not a moment too late</p><p>And Iskall was rushed off with Mumbo and Stress.</p><p> </p><p>X spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,</p><p>And went to go file some more paperwork</p><p>XB and Jevin started to clean up the mess</p><p>As the rest of us started to stumble off to our beds</p><p> </p><p>We sat next to each other, just Cleo and I</p><p>Drinking hot tea as I started to write</p><p>The tale of our most exciting night yet</p><p>In hopes Grian will not come for my head.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Twister</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>fun before the storm</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>i did not edit this. But i'm too lazy now...</p><p>also quick self promo: I now read fanfics on youtube!<br/>https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxvoujdLHcANKR0gfDa45iw</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Left hand to yellow, Tango!"</p><p>"Ow, that was my nose!"</p><p>"Don't stand next to the mat then, Hypno!"</p><p>"Right foot to blue, Etho!"</p><p>"That's impossible-HOW IS HE DOING THAT???"</p><p>"Left hand to green, Zed!"</p><p>"Magic, Ren."</p><p>"That's not an answer, False!"</p><p>"Owie, this position hurts, hurry up Bdubs, pretty please hurry.."</p><p>"Alright, alright, left hand to red Jevin."</p><p>"JEV IS CHEATING!"</p><p>"No i'm not, you're just jealous you couldn't stretch far enoug, Impulseh."</p><p>"I'm going to fall-ARGH!" Zedaph yelped.</p><p>Tanog, Impulse, Zedaph, Ren, Etho, Bdubs, Hypno, Keralis, XB, False,  and Jevin were playing Twister while Beef and TFC made dinner for everyone. And Etho and Jevin were competing to see who could do the most to annoy everyone else with their surprisingly flexible bodies. Currently, Etho resembled a knot from one of Cleo's old sailng books and Jevin was literally a blue slimey pretzel with hands and feet.</p><p>And Zedaph had just fallen, almost knocking over Tango and Xb (who'd gotten out a few rounds earlier)  in the process of untangling himself.</p><p>"Ooh, it's getting close! Tango, right foot to green!"</p><p>Tango easily shifted his foot from under Etho.</p><p>"Hey guys, wanna bet who wins?" Keralis asked. "I say 5 diamonds  on Etho."</p><p>"We did this last time. I lost 20 diamonds, man." Ren complained but added another 4 for Etho.</p><p>"Left hand to green, Etho."</p><p>Etho smirked, convinced he could easily reach the green circle. Unfortunately, Jellie had other ideas and slipped right underneath him, toppling both him and Jevin.</p><p>"The winner is TangoTek!" Bdoubles announced.</p><p>"Aww man..." Ren and Keralis both moaned, paying up to Hypno, who just grinned at his newfound wealth. Tango's hair had somehow caught fire, and the blond was celebrating with Impulse and Zedaph via celebratory dance as the other laughed.</p><p>And  Jevin and Etho, meanwhile, plotted a way to get back at Scar (or at least, figure out a way to keep the pets away from the Twister games).</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Order in the Court</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>I lost my train of thought, got confused, slammed a finger in the door, and decided to post this on a whim.<br/>uh, at least i updated? <br/>yeah um, warning: confusing chapters ahead.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>we are ignoring the fact biffa is not in the whitelist and pretending that me using him as hostage material had an actual reason that wasn't "he's convenient to use at the moment"</p><p>also disclaimer i know very little about actual court cases. don't sue me.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Department One of the Superior Court is now in session. Judge_Price presiding. Please be seated." The bailiff called out.</p><p>Grian nervously shifted as the judge stood up and started speaking. "Good morning, players.  Calling the case of Ray vs. Samgliadiator. Are</p><p>both sides ready?"</p><p>The attorney representing Ray (which turned out to be a large group who had all had their lives impacted negatively by a certain bunny boy) lifted his chin. "Yes, Your Honor."</p><p>"Yes, Your Honor." Joe did the same.</p><p>"Will the clerk please swear in the jury?" The judge asked.</p><p>The clerk stood and started speaking. "Will the jury please stand and raise your right hand?"</p><p>The jury stood and raised their hands.</p><p>"Do each of you swear that you will fairly try the case before this court, and that you will return a true verdict according to the evidence and the instructions of the court, so help you, Notch? Please say “I do”."</p><p>"I do."</p><p>"You may be seated."  The clerk sat down again and the judge motioned for the opening statements to be said.</p><p>The attorney for the Rays stood and began speaking as Ren slipped Grian a star-shaped squeeze toy to keep the gremlin from drawing blood. "Your Honor, and players of the Jury, the defendant in today's trial, Charles Xelqua, is charged with voluntary first-degree manslaughter, as well as gang activity and theft among other things. The evidence will show that Xelqua is guilty of these crimes, committed approximately 10 years ago."</p><p>Joe followed the other attorney. "Your Honor and players of the jury, under law that my f- client here is innocent until proven guilty. During this trial, During this trial, I will not be proving to ya'll that Grian is guilty of his crimes; instead I will be proving that he was given no choice in his actions. Therefore, although my client is guilty, he is also not guilty."</p><p>Grian was fairly sure he wasn't the only one internally dying.</p><p>"The prosecutor may call their first witness." The judge announced.</p><p>"The Rays call Pepe Frogman." </p><p>Grian nearly choked when he saw the frog hybrid, who only glanced once at Grian.</p><p>" Please stand. Raise your right hand. Do you promise that the testimony you shall give in the case before this court shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?" the clerk asked.</p><p>"I do."</p><p>"Please state your first and last name."</p><p>"Pepe Frogman."</p><p>"Alright Mr. Frogman, please tell the court. Is it true that you attend the same highschool as Mr. Sam Gladiator and Mr. Xelqua?"</p><p>"Yes."</p><p>"And you knew of the many murders they committed?"</p><p>"Yes sir. Sam's old girlfriend killed my mother."</p><p>"And good riddance." Grian muttered under his breath. </p><p>"And did you do anything about it?"</p><p>"My stepfather handled everything. I really didn't do much. Actually I don't remember a lot either.."</p><p>"Thank you, that is all. Does the defendent have any quesitons?"</p><p>"Yes, I do. Mr. Frogman, your mother was Teacher_Jane, correct?" Joe asked.</p><p>"She was."</p><p>"And is it true that she was an abusive teacher who regularly put her students in danger?"</p><p>"From what I know, yes. I heard she made elementary school kids drink something weird that turned them into centaurs once."</p><p>"Not far from the truth." Grian again muttered, getting kicked in the leg by Cleo to shush.</p><p>"Thank you, I have no further questions." Joe said. Next to him, Cleo was ticking off something in a notebook.</p><p>"The witness is excused. Does the prosecutor have any other witnesses?" the judge asked.</p><p>"Yes Your Honor. We would like to call to the stand Jessassin." The attorny announced.</p><p>A lot of heads turned to stare at Jess, who gave a nervous grimace and made his way to the stand.</p><p>It didn't take long to swear him in, and soon he was being questioned.</p><p>"Jessassin, is it true that you spent time serving undercover in the Yakuza?"</p><p>"Yes sir."</p><p>"And you were aware of Sam Gladiator and his friends being associated with them?"</p><p>"Oh yeah. We all knew Yuki was dating Sam. Hard not to notice her influence, honostly."</p><p>"Did you have much contact with them at all?"</p><p>"No, not really. Yuki was like that villiam girl in  Teen TItans. When she got scary she got really really scary and I liked living a bit too much at the time."</p><p>"Does that mean Jess doesn't mind dying now?" Grian heard someone (he guessed it might be Juml) ask a bit too loudly, followed by a stiffled yelp and some light chuckling.</p><p>Grian eventually started tuning things out as the trial went on. It was incredibly boring, besides the few parts he didn't know about. </p><p>And okay, he felt a little bit guilty for some of the stuff he did as a dumb teenager fending for his life. But it wasn't like he had much choice at the time....or mental stability.</p><p>Grian turned his attention from his thoughts back to the trial. Jess had been replaced by a loudmouthed woman in the most obnoxiously bright pink dress possible.</p><p>This was going to be a long day.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Coffee</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>i'm alive and so is Iskall</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Iskall woke up to beeping machines and blaringly bright lights.</p><p>And the moment he started trying to sit up, he ended up surrounded in a whirlwind of activity.</p><p>By the time all the medical personnel had left and the large pile of potions next to him had been taken, Iskall felt even more drained then before and decided to take a good nap before doing anything else.</p><p>~~~</p><p>Iskall woke up for the second time to a much more manageable light level and the sight of Beef passed out on the couch and Cub watching something on a laptop.</p><p>"Hello there Iskall." Cub greeted when he noticed Iskall stir.</p><p>"Hello, Cub." Iskall said. "What happened? This looks like a hospital."</p><p>"It is a hospital. You got shot." Cub answered nochalantly.</p><p>
  <i>"What?"</i>
</p><p>"You got hit in the stomach. Anyways Grian's on trial right now."</p><p>"Wait, right now?" Iskall started to sit up but Cub pushed him back down.</p><p>"You got hit in the stomach, Iskall, don't make it worse it's still a hardcore world." Cub turned the laptop towards Iskall. "Grian's going on in a bit, I'm gonna go wake Beef up so he doesn't miss it." Cub stood and went to go shake the butcher awake.</p><p>Iskall squinted at the screen, which was showing a live view of the courtroom. Whether it was Cub and his drones (or False and her drones, who knew?) filming or it was the work of the city he didn't know but honostly it didn't matter since he got a very good view of the Hermits' side of the courtroom. Which was surprisingly quite filled with players. Apparantly Grian had a good bit of clout.</p><p>"Are we winning?" Iskall asked.</p><p>"Hard to say." Cub shrugged. "Jess did a   great job of double-agenting the other guys but Grian's almost certainly going to jail."</p><p>"Isn't there some kind of rule against cross-server stuff like this?"</p><p>"This is his home world. So...technically he just ran from the law." Beef yawned. "Oh, where's the nearest coffee machine by the way?"</p><p>"Cafeteria. Anyways, Joe's trying to at least make sure Grian doesn't end up with Yuki as a cellmate. They actually managed to track her down, all thanks to Biffa, Python, and Stress." Cub chuckled.</p><p>Iskall grinned. "Yuki, she's that psycho mafia girlfriend of Sam right?"</p><p>"Yep."</p><p>"That's good, that's very very good."</p><p>"Iskall85? We need to run some tests on you." A nurse poked her head into the rooom. "Also we need to give you more potions. That bullet gave you a good bit of internal bleeding."</p><p>"Oh, fun. See you later, Cub." Iskall grinned.</p><p>Cub just nodded. "Want me to take the laptop or...?"</p><p>"Eh, you can take it. I probably won't be able to watch anyways." Iskall waved a hand. "Just catch me up on stuff later?"</p><p>"No problem."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Join the discord if you want more :)<br/>https://discord.gg/bNsFUZX9Mv</p></blockquote></div></div>
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